Improvement in combined bridle and halter



E 00X. Combined Bridle and Halter.

No; 203,324. 4 Patented May'7, 1878.

WITNESSES.

N-FEI'ERS. PHDTULITHDGRAPMER WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIHU COX, OF PLAINFIELD, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT l-N COMBINED BRIDLE AND HALTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,324, dated May 7, 1878; application filed April 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern V Be it known that I, ELIHU COX, of the town of Plainfield, county of Hendricks, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Bridle and Halter, of which the following is a specification:

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing, which is made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate simila parts.

Figure 1 is a view of a horses head upon which is my device in the form of a bridle. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the device in the form of a halter. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bit and the surrounding parts.

In said drawing, the portions marked AA are the ordinary cheek-straps to a bridle or halter. B is the brow-band thereto; 0, the throat-latch; D, the nose-strap. E E are rings by which the cheek-straps and nose-strap are joined, and to which the bit is .attached by either a link and a snap-hook or by two snaphooks, as may be desired. F is the bit, which may be of any suitable form. G is a link or ring, by which one end of the bit is connected to one of the rings E. H is a snap-hook, by which the other end of the bit is connected to the other of the rings E. Instead of the link G, a second snap-hook may be used, if preferred. I is the check-rein, which is attached to the bit. One or both ends of this rein are preferably provided with a snap-hook, J, so that it can be used as a hitching-strap, when the device is used as a halter, by simply detaching one end from the bit. KK are short quarter-circular straps, by which the nose-strap is kept ina proper relative position to the cheek-straps. f f are the usual rings or other devices in the ends of the bit F, to which to attach the reins, and by which it is attached to the bridle. The links or snaps by which the bit is connected to the other-portions of the bridle not only serve their primary purpose, but others. They give the bit sufficient freedom of movement to operate on the mouth of the animal,

when the device is used as a bridle, without accomplish-this result is to simply detach the.

snap-hook on one end of the bit from the ring in the bridle, remove the bit from the mouth of the animal, pass it under his jaw, and reattach .the hook to the ring. This done, unhook one end of the check-rein, and the bridle is transformed into a halter and hitching-strap complete, with only the labor of detaching two hooks and reattaching one of them. Reversing the operation will, of course, restore the bridle form. 7

Having thus fully d ribed my said invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the bit of a bridle with the nose-strap and upper portion thereof, said bit being constructed and attached so as to be readily removed from the mouth of the animal and refastened under the lower jaw, so as to form a continuous nose-strap, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 6th day of April, A; D. 1878.

ELIHU 00X. n s.] 

